Dog Days of Summer

When we hear the phrase “the dog days of summer,” we may picture a dog stretched out on a cool floor, conserving every ounce of energy while the temperature climbs outside. The expression, however, does not come from our four-legged friends. It comes from the stars.

Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, is part of the constellation Canis Major, the “Greater Dog.” Ancient Greeks and Romans noticed that Sirius appeared near the sun during the hottest part of the year. The Romans called this season dies caniculares, or “dog-star days.” They believed that the brilliance of Sirius combined with the sun to produce the oppressive heat, drought, fevers, and other troubles associated with midsummer. In ancient Egypt, however, the appearance of Sirius was welcomed because it signaled the approaching flood of the Nile, which replenished the soil and made the crops grow.

The “dog days” are not mentioned in the biblical text, but the phrase did find its way into the calendars printed in early editions of the Book of Common Prayer and the 1611 King James Bible. These calendars included Scripture readings and holy days alongside agricultural and astronomical markers that helped people follow the changing seasons. The church understood that faith is practiced within the rhythms of ordinary life: planting and harvesting, working and resting, watching the skies and paying attention to the world around us.

The dog days may be associated with slowing down, but August will be anything but sleepy at Grace. This Sunday, August 9, we will bless backpacks as our students, teachers, administrators, and school staff prepare to return to their classrooms. We will surround them with our prayers as they begin a new year of learning, discovery, and growth.

On August 16, we will have a special old-time gospel sing-along at both our 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. services. The Sunflower Jammers, featuring our own Janet Rhodes on fiddle, will help us raise our voices in some beloved songs of faith. On August 23, Kirk Anderson will preach, and later that afternoon at 3:00 p.m., we will gather for a special service celebrating his commissioning. On August 30, Scott Randle will return to the pulpit at Grace while I have the pleasure of sharing a good word with the congregations of Wellington and Viola.

The ancient Egyptians saw the appearance of Sirius not merely as a sign of heat, but as a promise that life-giving waters were on their way. Perhaps that is a helpful image for us as well. Even in the most exhausting seasons, God continues to replenish the earth, renew the church, and prepare new growth.

May these dog days be filled with worship, music, learning, laughter, and perhaps a little well-earned rest. Enjoy the remaining days of summer, have some fun, and please take good care of yourselves and your neighbors in the heat.

See you in church!

Peace, Grace, and Love,
Pastor Kevin